Mental Capacity Act (MCA) Conference - 8 March 2017

This was our 8th MCA Conference which celebrated the Mental Capacity Act and how it is implemented and used in practice. As well as workshops on Assessing Capacity, Making Best Interest Decisions and Deprivation of Liberty we looked at the role of the MCA in working with people who self-neglect and the legal and ethical dilemmas of using assistive technologies.

What the conference covered

District Judge Anselm Eldergill - keynote speaker

District Judge Anselm Eldergill gave an entertaining and informative talk about the role of the Court of Protection. He highlighted the importance of P's views in any Best Interests decision and reminded us that such decisions are about "their welfare in the context of their wishes, feelings, beliefs and values". He stressed the importance of P's right to access the courts in order to ensure their rights are protected. He shared some thoughts about how the Court of Protection might become more accessible - which is particularly relevant given the Law Commission's proposals for a system to replace the DoLS that are due to be published on 17 March 2017.